The Exchange lives up to its “We go where you go” motto with stores serving locations all over the world, from the South Pacific to the North Atlantic, from Kuwait to Korea and more.
Many of these locations are remote and unusual, even in CONUS, where branch stores serve smaller military communities. In this series, we look at the stories behind these stores. This installment is about the Shades of Green Exchange at Disney World.
What makes this store unique: Did you catch the part about it being at Disney World? More specifically, it’s at Shades of Green, a 568-room hotel and resort. Shades of Green is one of four Armed Forces Recreation Centers worldwide that serves members of the Armed Forces, their families and other authorized users.
The Shades of Green Exchange does $4.1 million in sales annually, supporting all branches of the military and the family members that stay at the resort. “We are half-Express, half retail facility,” said Facility Manager Ryan Gosa. “The store is open every day including all major holidays, and we make it, as they say here at Disney, ‘magical’ every day.”
The store sells Disney World souvenirs and other Disney merchandise—tax-free, with military-exclusive pricing that’s lower than civilian souvenir shops.
Size of the team: 7
Number of facilities: 1
Resort history: According to the resort’s website, it originally opened in 1973 as a 151-room Disney-owned resort known as the Golf Resort, located in the middle of two golf courses. The resort was built in the style of a country club. The core building opened in 1971 as a two-story clubhouse for the golf courses and did not have guest rooms. Guest wings were added to the clubhouse in 1973.
Disney renamed the resort The Disney Inn in February 1986 to appeal to a wider guest base. The renovation added 150 rooms with a new Snow White theme.
During the early 1990s, Army officials decided it was time to build a new Armed Forces Recreation Center in CONUS to accompany other resorts in Hawaii, Germany and Korea. In a market survey of Soldiers, Orlando was the top choice for a CONUS location.
During 1992, after Operation Desert storm, Army MWR advertised in the Orlando Sentinel newspaper, asking if anyone in the local business community would be interested in leasing resort property to the Army. The ad received more than 40 responses. The Walt Disney Company’s offer to lease the Disney Inn was accepted.
Shades of Green opened Feb. 1, 1994. There was a long process for deciding what to call the new resort. The new name had to be acceptable to both Disney and MWR. At the time, all branches of the military wore some form of green utility/battle dress uniform. The resort was named Shades of Green in reference to the different shades of green in the uniforms. The green also refers to the two golf courses on the property.
The resort proved so successful that MWR decided to buy it outright from Disney in 1996. However, Disney still owns the more than 30 acres of property on which the resort sits. Shades of Green is a self-sustaining resort—no outside/taxpayer funds are used in its operation or upkeep.
Store history: In a case where “We go where you go” could also mean “We’re going to Disney World!” the Exchange has operated a store at Shades of Green since the property transitioned to the military in February 1994.
“The process was very delicate and took about 20 months to accomplish,” Art Ryan, the senior vice president who was responsible for negotiating the Memorandum of Understanding to provide support, said in a March 1994 Exchange Post story. “But the Army finally decided to have AAFES operate the hotel’s store.”
What it’s like to live there: Living in the Orlando area offers a unique balance of affordability, convenience and entertainment, Gosa says. Most associates live about 30 minutes outside the main tourist areas, which helps keep housing and everyday living costs more manageable while avoiding the busiest traffic and crowds. The region has pleasant weather for most of the year.
What associates can do during time off: Many associates have season passes to nearby theme parks, which include Disney World, Universal Orlando, SeaWorld Orlando, Legoland Orlando and more. Many associates enjoy short two- or three-day getaway cruises throughout the year, and it seems like most people here take at least one or two cruises annually. “I’ve already been on two cruises and have a third one planned for early next year,” said Gosa, who has been at Shades of Green for about a year. “The proximity to major cruise ports makes these quick vacations both convenient and affordable.”
Orlando is a short drive from the Atlantic Coast and a slightly longer drive to Florida’s Gulf Coast. Shades of Green is an hour away from Patrick Space Force Base, and rockets can be seen lifting off on sunny days. The Kennedy Space Center and Daytona Beach are both roughly an hour away; Tampa–St. Petersburg is about two hours away.
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